


Hold On Forever

by green_haired_angel



Category: Zombies Run!
Genre: Established 5am, F/M, Hurt/Comfort, Nightmare, Sam Yao is a darling, Spoilers up to S3 M46, takes place sometime after Shoot the Runner
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-17
Updated: 2020-05-17
Packaged: 2021-03-02 20:20:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,155
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24212779
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/green_haired_angel/pseuds/green_haired_angel
Summary: Five could never catch a break from the nightmares. This night was no exception.Takes place at any point after S3 M46
Relationships: Runner Five & Sam Yao, Runner Five/Sam Yao
Comments: 2
Kudos: 32





	Hold On Forever

Five grabbed Sam’s hands. He was cold. Why was he cold? To her, he was always warmth, and orange, and a dry place to sleep on a rainy night. He was the sound of dice on a wooden table, and the feeling of leaves underneath her feet on an autumn day. He was a strong embrace, a close call, a sunny morning. But he was cold now. 

Five laid next to Sam on the comms shack couch, gripping his icy hands tightly. This didn’t feel right. Something was off. Something was wrong. Sam let go of her hands and slowly sat up, seeming detached from everything around him. 

But she wanted him to stay with her. It took everything inside of her to stop herself from grabbing his sweatshirt and pulling him closer to her side. She wanted to lay with him like that forever. He was leaving her though. 

He stepped away from the couch, and Five couldn’t bring herself to get up. She couldn’t bring herself to ask what was going on. Without warning, Sam vanished in front of her eyes, leaving no proof that he was ever there at all. What was happening? How did he-

Oh, yeah. This was a dream. 

Usually when Five figured out she was dreaming, it was easy to bring herself to the surface and escape whatever was haunting her, hunting her, chasing her inside her mind. But lately, she couldn’t get out. She was stuck inside whatever sick world her mind made for her that night. 

She was still laying on the couch. The comms shack was familiar, but the darkness and greenness of the room filled Five’s stomach with an uneasy feeling that was always a part of her nightmares. She slowly lifted herself up and stood, her body eerily calm compared to the panic inside her. 

She wished Sam was here again. He always saved her. He once told Five that she was the one that always protected him from everything, but Five knew it was the other way around. He watched her and had her back. He looked after her on missions and protected her from the zombies. He saved her some food when he knew she wasn’t eating enough, he joked with her when she was sad, and when she was feeling stuck in a pit of fear and helplessness he pulled her out, every time. When she was broken, he would always hold her so tight that he put the pieces back together, even if it was only for a moment. Five wanted to save him, but she wasn’t sure if she could.

Five glanced around and saw the axe on the floor. 

The axe.

Out of nowhere her heart started beating faster, and her breathing became unsteady, and she desperately gasped for air. Her brain was fuzzy. Five knew Moonchild was in here again. Her lungs were on fire and her body felt full of bliss. Moonchild was so close to being in her head she could taste it, all apple and ginseng tea and bitter on the back of her tongue. 

She turned to her left. Sam was there, a few feet away. He was tall, and paler than she remembered him being. His orange sweatshirt was too big on him, like it always was. His big brown eyes had an emptiness to them that she had never seen before. 

“Hello, Five.” His voice echoed around her head like Moonchild’s always did.

She wanted to reach out to him, to grab him and hold him and keep him there forever, but she couldn’t move. Moonchild was in control again. Five hated this. She had so many versions of this dream, and they never ended well. This night would not be the exception.

His voice echoed around her head again hauntingly. “I knew it was going to be you. I felt your presence. Yeah, that’d be a better joke if it was Christmas.” His weak attempt at humor squeezed Five’s heart until it stung.

Moonchild wanted her to kill him. Moonchild’s voice wasn’t there this time, but Five knew. She wanted her to kill him. Five wouldn’t do it. She wouldn’t. 

The axe was on the floor, but Sam was screaming now, as if Five was about to attack him. “Five, no, please. This isn’t you. You don’t want to do this! No! Help! Someone, help!”

Bruises appeared around his neck and blood splattered onto his clothes out of thin air. He looked terrified of Five. Five began to sob. She wanted to beg him to stop, but her mouth wouldn’t move.

_Please Sam, it’s okay. It’s me! It’s Five! Your Five. I’m not gonna hurt you ever again, I promise promise promise. I promise, I promise. Sam, please!_

She forced herself to turn around agonizingly slowly. She tried to run towards the door, but her body moved like it was underwater. She couldn’t breathe. She was drowning on land, she couldn’t move, everything was too much and too loud and too sad and scary and-

“Five! Five, wake up. You’re alright. Everything's gonna be alright.”

Five opened her eyes. She was laying next to Sam on the couch. He held her face in his hands, and his dark brown eyes were wide with alarm. Five’s face was cold despite the sweat on it, and his warm hands felt nice on her skin. 

Five cried. Sam held her. His hands were so warm. 

Sam kissed her forehead and brought his mouth close to her ear. He was achingly gentle with her. He began talking in a quiet sleepy voice, the one that always made Five calm down even when she thought it wasn’t possible. He spoke to her about his childhood, his dog, his favorite candies, which Star Wars movie was his favorite and why he could never quite keep his room completely clean. He spoke until Five’s breathing steadied and her muscles relaxed. 

Five loved him. His voice filled her with a peace that she couldn't find anywhere else. Her nightmare drifted away into the night, and Sam’s warmth kept her safe from the rest of the world.

Sam lifted his head and looked into her eyes. 

“Five?”

“Yeah?”

“I'm glad you’re here.” He paused, his dark brown eyes gazing at her face with a gentleness that she didn’t think was possible from anyone else. A small smile worked its way onto her face.

“I think you’re really pretty. Beautiful, actually. Well, both at the same time. And strong, and kind, and absolutely brilliant. I don’t know how you do what you do every day, but I promise you that you’re doing _so_ well. Especially after everything that’s happened.” He took a deep breath. “I love you with all of my heart Five, and you are everything to me.” 

Five grabbed onto Sam’s sweatshirt and decided she would never let go again. She would hold on to him forever.


End file.
